Throughout this application, various publications are referenced by author and date. Full citations for these publications may be found listed alphabetically at the end of the specification immediately preceding the claims. The disclosures of these publications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art.
Early pregnancy loss (EPL) is a widespread, but largely undiagnosed problem. In order to adequately diagnose and develop treatments for EPL it is essential to be able to detect and measure the rate of occurrence of EPL. This is critically important in epidemiological studies, some of which are related to exposures to known or suspected reproductive toxins in the workplace, in the environment or by personal use. These early pregnancy losses are often not recognized by women or physicians and are detected solely by the measurement of hCG in the urine at the time between implantation and expected menses. They are sometimes termed “chemical pregnancies” or “occult pregnancies.” A landmark epidemiological study established that the incidence of EPL was 22% in a population of healthy women attempting to conceive (Wilcox, A. J., et al., 1988). This investigation employed a very sensitive (0.01 ng/ml hCG) assay which detected only the intact hCG molecule with the unique beta subunit carboxyterminal peptide present.
There are multiple likely causes for EPL and clinical spontaneous abortion including genetic abnormality, immunological dysfunction, untreated infection or other unknown physiological problems. In addition, losses may be caused by failure of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to induce adequate response at its target, the corpus luteum. This could result from inadequate hormonal potency. “Nicking” of the beta subunit in the loop 2 region of the molecule, specifically between residues 44–49, can reduce biopotency of hCG. Cleaved peptide bonds in this area of the molecule also exhibit reduced biopotency and reduced immunochemical recognition by monoclonal antibodies directed to the heterodimeric hormone (Cole, L. A., et al., 1991a; Cole, L. A., et al., 1991b; Puisieux, A., et al., 1990; Nishimura, R., et al., 1988; Nishimura, R. T., et al., 1989). Nicked forms of hCG were examined as possibly more prevalent in EPL situations and, at least in part responsible, for early pregnancy loss. Unfortunately many of the reports claiming that substantial concentrations of nicked hCG are produced during pregnancy, losses or successful pregnancies, are not accurate due to faulty assumptions regarding assay specificity. Carbohydrate-modified hCG can also exhibit either reduced or enhanced biopotency. It is known that if the hCG has much reduced sialic acid content and its carbohydrate chains terminate in galactose, much hCG would be removed by the liver receptor for such altered glycoproteins (Braun, J. R., et al., 1996; Kawasaki, T. and G. Ashwell, 1996). The circulating life-time of asialo hCG is reduced and its in vivo potency is thereby low. Other carbohydrate changes also alter circulating half life; glycoproteins terminating in sulfate-N-acetyl galactosamine are also extracted by a specific liver receptor and have reduced circulating lifetime (Baenziger, J. U., 1994; Fiete, D., et al., 1991).
At least two factors affect increased potency of hCG. First, it is known that a larger Stoke's radius will decrease clearance through the kidney glomerulus which generally clears proteins above an effective size of 70,000 very slowly. The effective size of urinary-isolated hCG is just at this borderline reduced clearance size. Generally, extra sugar content makes the hydrated radius of glycoproteins larger. It has been shown that by adding the hCG beta COOH-terminal peptide to hFSH or hLH, their circulating life-times greatly increased (Fares, F. A. et al., 1992; Matzuk, M. M., 1990). This addition was thought mostly due to the carbohydrate content of that peptide rather than simply the extra polypeptide size. Second, increased negative charge of a protein will prolong its circulating time because of decreased renal clearance (Chmielewski, C. 1992, Quadri, K. H., et al., 1994; Maack, T., et al., 1985). This increased negative charge can be due to extra sialic acid or other negative groups, including sulfate such as is present on hLH and on the pituitary form of hCG (Birken, S., et al., 1996b). Changes which affect signal transduction at the receptor may also affect biopotency of hCG. It is known that deglycosylated hCG has much reduced receptor potency (Ravindranath, N., et al., 1992; Sairam, M. R., and L. G., Jiang, 1992; Browne, E. S., et al., 1990; Sairam, M. R., 1989; Sairam, M. R., et al., 1988). Carbohydrate reduced forms of hCG also have reduced signal transduction (Amano, J., et al., 1990; Bahl, O. P., et al., 1995; Moyle, W. R., 1975).
According to the present invention EPL or recurrent spontaneous abortion is not due to an abnormal hCG form that has reduced potency, such as nicked hCG. Instead, the present invention provides evidence that in successful outcome pregnancies women usually produce forms of hCG which are very highly potent in very early pregnancy; the standard urinary reference preparations of hCG are less potent forms of the hormone produced later in pregnancy. The increased potency could be caused by a combination of factors from circulating half-life to increased receptor affinity or signal transduction or all of the preceding. Since hCG is low very early in pregnancy, it is logical to find a more potent form of hCG on a molar basis to carry out its function until production levels rise as the trophoblastic cellular mass increases. The present invention describes molecular and immunological tools and methods including an antibody, B152, described herein which recognizes the highly potent early pregnancy associated molecular isoforms of hCG. The determination of blood and urine profiles for the B152 hCG isoforms throughout healthy pregnancies can delineate the pattern of isoforms in successful pregnancies. These isoforms can be measured by immunoassay alone, obviating the need to perform complex isoelectric focusing studies or other separation techniques. Additionally, the methods described herein are applicable to large numbers of samples.